Best of the inexpensive .223/5.56 ammo

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Dunross

Dunross

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I came by an AR the other day which means needing to lay in an ammo supply for it. The AR has the 1:7 twist so I'm looking for 62gr or heavier bullet weights, mostly in soft point or full metal jacket. I haven't done anything with .223/5.56 in years so am not up to date with what's on the market.

Money is always an object when one has a wife and kids so I won't be buying much premium match grade stuff. Of the inexpensive brass cased, boxer primed offerings which do you prefer and why?

Thanks much.
 
Remington UMC 50 grn JHP’s are offered in 40 round boxes at relatively low prices (used to buy them for 34¢/round before Sandy Hook), and they shoot exceptionally well. I have 5 shot groups out of one of my Savages which is just under 0.2” at 100yrds. So that’s my cheap option for off-of-the-shelf ammo.
 
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Here is a good place to look.
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/223-remington556mm-nato-ammo-c-83.aspx
you will find that there will not be much difference between 55 and 62gr ammo out to 100 yds. My son loves to just plink with his AR so, I buy Tula steel case for him to play with. I have found that it shoots very good.
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/tul-ammo-223-remington-55-grain-fmj-steel-case-ta223550-p-3078.aspx
I have Federal, Remington, PPU, Winchester, MEN, PMC, Magtech CBC, Geco and Lake City, and maybe a few others. My go to ammo would have to be Lake City for 62gr and MEN for 55gr. MEN is actually 56gr.
 
I don't like green tip (SS109, or M855) or that newer bi-metal stuff being issued now because it isn't very consistent lot-to-lot, its hell on steel targets, and its overpriced. I have no idea why it costs so much, unless its the mentality that "if its issued in the mil, it must be good". At the "typical" ranges where I use a "regular" AR (300 yards and in) I prefer 55 grain PMC or 55 grain American Eagle, both which can be found on sale frequently from PSA- often with no shipping charge. I never had any issues with stabilization or anything like that using it in 1:7, 1:8 or 1:9 barrels for this application. FWIW, I hunt deer and hogs with Hornady 75 grain BTHP match. Regardless of what "everyone says", it stabilizes just fine in the previously mentioned twist rates, and anchors the critters nicely. I know "everyone" also says this round isn't suitable for hunting, but after seeing its performance in combat as well as in the deer stand, I don't agree with what "everyone" says. Whatever you decide to do, I recommend you buy a box or 2 of what you are thinking about (before you commit to 1,000 rounds), test it, and then make a final decision based on what it does in YOUR gun with YOU shooting
 
Wolf Gold, American Eagle/Federal, and PMC are what I have been stocking up on. I did get a couple of cases of Hornady that I am going to try out.
 
Almost anything sold at Targetsports, SGammo, etc will be fine for range or plinking. Wolf is inexpensive and pretty good.

For hunting, or serious social shooting, go with a premium load like Hornady TAP.
 
Be aware that if you shoot at indoor ranges, a lot of ranges will not let you fire any ammo that has steel penetrator rods or jackets for the bullets and they usually check this via a magnet or ammo type. That might or might not affect your buying decision. Some prohibit steel cased ammo as well.
 
Frontier (Hornady) NATO ammo is on clearance sale at Midway (30-40 cents per round.) The FMJ stuff shoots 1.5-2.5 MOA, and the 62 BTHP 1-1.5 MOA in my FN. Any XM193 usually does pretty well, even better if you can find it under 6 bucks per box of 20.
 
I would probably try some generic 55grn ammo first, to see if it performs well enough in your rifle. Much of it depends on the ranges you are shooting at... if you are popping cans or ventilating B-29's at close range... it doesn't really matter.

+1 on the suggestion of TargetSports for your case quantity of ammos... I use them almost exclusively.
 
In my most accurate AR (Stag Model 6, 24" heavy barrel 1 in 8" twist), I recently tested PMC Bronze, Federal American Eagle, IMI and Norma 55 gr FMJ ammo for accuracy at 100 yards. Was surprised that the PMC Bronze came out on top, followed by the Federal American Eagle, IMI and Norma in that order. I would have guessed that the order would have been reversed.
More recently I picked up some Frontier (made by Hornady at the Lake City plant) 55 gr FMJ ammo in both their 5.56 and .223. The 5.56 was similar to the Federal and IMI, accuracy wise, but the Frontier .223 55 gr FMJ ammo was more accurate, rivaling the accuracy of the PMC Bronze in the previous test. Seeing as I picked up the Frontier ammo on sale for just $5.49 per box of 20, I am waiting for it to go on sale again. Frontier is also offered in a 55 gr HP match bullet, as well as 62 gr FMJ and HP, but at a higher price than the 55 gr FMJ. That 62 gr HPBT bullet has proven very accurate in my handloads and has become my "go to" bullet for all purpose ammo in our AR's with twist rates of 1 in 9" thru 1 in 7". YMMV
 
2ndtimer said:
That 62 gr HPBT bullet has proven very accurate in my handloads and has become my "go to" bullet for all purpose ammo in our AR's
Click to expand...

Same here. Because of the low cost differential, I quit reloading 55grn FMJ ammo... but with decent, relatively inexpensive 62grn BTHP component bullets, I'm back to reloading for it, again.
 
Yup - L223R8 is the 20 pack, L223R8B is the 40 pack when it is available. They make a 55grn ball load too which is so-so, sub-MOA or right at 1moa in most of my rifles, but the 50JHP has shot phenomenally well. When Gander was still open, I could pick up the 40 round boxes for 34¢/round, and occasionally they would miss mark them so the 40rnd box rang up as the 20rnd box, and they were about 20¢/rnd. I mentioned it twice, but the clerk said it was their mismark, so they sold it to me at the marked price anyway.
 
A little bit of my own opinion here. M193 is superior in nearly every way to M855. And it's cheaper.
Shoot some of each. If there is no accuracy issue, pay less money for more ammo.
 
I like the 50gr cheap hollow points for accuracy and steel case for plinking.

I still cant wrap my head around the steel case bias. I used to sell it wholesale and could get ir for $4/box... it goes boom and shoots decently well.
 
Dunross said:
I came by an AR the other day which means needing to lay in an ammo supply for it. The AR has the 1:7 twist so I'm looking for 62gr or heavier bullet weights, mostly in soft point or full metal jacket. I haven't done anything with .223/5.56 in years so am not up to date with what's on the market.

Money is always an object when one has a wife and kids so I won't be buying much premium match grade stuff. Of the inexpensive brass cased, boxer primed offerings which do you prefer and why?

Thanks much.
Click to expand...
You must be a pretty busy guy, otherwise I'd say you are a great candidate to join the reloading community!

I'm signed up at several suppliers that send out daily bargain emails. A lot of bulk ammo sales with discount & often free shipping. Especially from Natchez & Midsouth. Sign-up at their websites & the daily ads will begin!
 
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